Intelligent electronic devices used in utility monitoring systems typically include firmware that contains instructions for execution by a microcontroller in the IED. A typical monitoring system can include hundreds or even thousands of IEDs, and the IEDs are comprised of many different types (power or energy meters, circuit monitors, relays, circuit breakers, etc.) and can be made by different manufacturers. When a firmware update becomes available for an IED, it can be a logistical nightmare to keep track of which IEDs need to be updated, have already been updated, or are compatible with the firmware update. The possibility that commissioned IEDs will have outdated or mismatched firmware is high. Bug fixes to firmware may not reach every compatible IED. Under present systems, maintaining firmware for a large number of IEDs is very labor intensive and prone to mishandling and human error, resulting in sub-optimal performance and utilization of monitoring systems. There is also no automated way of determining whether updating one IED will cause incompatibility issues across the monitoring system.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method for automatically updating firmware in a network of IEDs. The present disclosure is directed to addressing these and other needs.